Lady s dress



(No Model.)

' A. C. .HERTS.

' LADYS DRESS.

No. 280,174. Patented June 26, 1883.

N, PETERS. IMlo-Lflhngnphcr. Washington. D. c.

UN TE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LADYS DRESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 280,174, dated June 26 1883.

Application filed January 20, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern! Be it known that I, ABRAM O. HERTS, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Ladies Dresses, which improvement is fully set'forth in the following specification and accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a horizontal section of the portion of a lady s dress embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section thereof in line 00 on, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical section thereof in line 3/ 3 Fig. 2, the springs employed being shown bowed; Fig. 4 is a horizontal section in line 2: z, Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a view of one of the springs somewhat lengthened;

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

My inventionconsist of a ladys dress adapted to have the effects of a bustle without the employment of a bustle, whereby advantages are derived, as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the skirt of a ladys dress, on the inner face of the rear of which are formed or connected horizontally-arranged pockets B, in each of which is placed a strip, 0, of highly-elastic steel or other suitable material, which strips, in their normal positions, extend in a right-lined direction, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. To the opposite ends of each strip or spring 0 are secured straps a, with hooks and eyes or other fastenings, b, which appear on the inside of the skirt A, and are there readily accessible. When the skirt is not worn, the fastenings b of each strip are disconnected, so that the springs extend in a right-lined direction; but when the skirt is to be worn, the. ends of the springs are brought together and secured, thus bending or bowing the springs and throwing out the rear of the skirt with the effects of a bustle at the places where the springs are applied, it being evident that the number of springs may be varied relatively to the requirements of short, long, and train skirts, and fashion generally, without departing from my invention, the form of parts being most plainly illustrated in Fig. 4.

In practice the pockets lining of the skirt, and thus, constitute fixtures of the skirt, whereby,

B are formed in the with the springs, while I produce all of the effects of a bustle, I avoid the weight, inconvenience, and annoyances of a separate bustle, losing and misplacing such article. Furthermore, the springs may be set nearer to or farther from each other, as desired, and regulated in number, according to requirements, design, or taste, by properly constructing the pockets, and then inserting or removing springs, as occasion demands. Again, the extent of how ing may be adjusted by the length of the tapes or straps a or fastenings I), thus increasing or decreasing thebend of the springs, and should a spring break, it may be conveniently displaced and replaced. When the ends of the springs are disconnected and the springs assume their normal straight or right-line form, the garment may be readily folded or bundled withoutinterference of the springs or the necessity of removal of the same.

The pockets B may be formed on the inner face of the fabric of theskirt, or, as shown in the drawings, and, as heretofore stated, on the lining thereof; or the springs'may be incased in pockets sewed to the skirt or lining, the tapes or straps on being attached to the ends of the pockets, and made preferably of elastic material, so as to increase the resiliency of the springs when bowed and in operative condition, either spring ylelding, when pressed against or sat upon, without affecting the remaining springs or other portions of the skirt.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. The improvement in a ladys dress, c011- sisting of springs which are connected with the skirt, on the inner face thereof, as fixtures, and bowed, producing bustle effects without the employment of a bustle, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. Springs'secured to a ladys dress, on the inner face thereof, as fixtures, and provided on their ends with means for holding them in bowed condition, said means being accessible on the inside of said dress, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. Springs adapted to be bowed, in combination with inclosing-pocket-s attached to the inner face of a ladys dress, and means for holding the said springs bowed, said means being accessible on the inside of the dress, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

ABRAM O. HERTS.

Witnesses:

J OHN A. WmnnRsHmM, A. RGRANT.

and obviate the danger of 

